Wednesday May 25, 2011
This is dedicated to all the Oprah Show ‘ultimate viewers’ who like me, never got to be on the show, never got to take a trip with Oprah, never got a favorite thing or a surprise under our seats, never got to meet or even see Oprah in person.
To a great extent, I blame myself. Who’s to say that I might not have been on the show??
I never wrote in, never bought a ticket to Chicago, never sent an email about myself or what affects the show had on me. I will always regret that. I could give a myriad of reasons why and they would all be excuses.
I never wrote in because I thought there were so many people more needy than me, with better stories than me. I thought that there would be sooooo many other letters and that they probably don’t read all of them and mine would certainly go unread. Such would be my luck.
I had written letters to people I admired before and never got a response. This usually left me feeling childishly foolish, and I was not convinced that this would be any different.
But now, that we approach the final hour of the Oprah Winfrey show, I regret not writing.
I have been moved, touched and inspired by so much of the show over the years. Watching the show always made me feel that my life could be that much better. I was inspired to dream and to believe the dreams could come true. But I was missing one ingredient…action!!
I never took action!
And so, the dreams have remained dreams and the dream of actually being on the Oprah Show is gone now…for good.
In the two day farewell show at the Chicago United Center, there were highlights of people who had been inspired to take action to make a change. And they did!
And with all the great ideas I have had to make changes and to help others in need, I have done nothing!
What was I waiting for?
What more inspiration was I hoping to get?
Instead, as years have gone by, I have sunk deeper into misery and dissatisfaction and these ‘buddies’ of mine take ever more of my energy and attention for themselves and leave less and less for my community, my family or even myself.
And every day I would try to get a little refill from the Oprah Show. I would wipe away the tears that would trickle down my cheeks as I admired others succeeding at doing something while I was still just watching.
Enough!
No more!
The ultimate tribute to Oprah and the 25 years she dedicated to the show and to her audience would be to live what she taught. After all, just because the show is no longer on the air, doesn’t mean that all we have learnt is no more valid.
So here and now I do declare: that I will make a change NOW. A change in myself, in my life, in my community, in the world. Now!
I will start small (since I usually overwhelm myself out of doing anything), I will make a list and I will work my way down the list. And I will not stop.
As sad as I am that the show is going off the air, I think that the after effects of the show are yet to be felt. The show was like a seed in my life. As long as it was on, it was nice to have around and look at but only now that it is “dying”, it is being planted and it can sprout and grow into its fullest manifestation.
It is an end.
But it is a beginning.
I thank Oprah.
And I welcome anyone who would like to join me on the journey that will begin today when the lights in the Studio of the Oprah Winfrey Show in Chicago, Illinois go out for the last time.
Excuse me while I go cry a little J
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